A former city building at the Manhattan Bridge end of Brooklyn Bridge Park is a getting a $3.6 million, community center makeover.

The one-time Department of Environmental Protection structure on Plymouth Street between Washington and Adams streets is slated to become home to an environmental classroom, meeting space, and park maintenance facility. The head of Brooklyn’s front yard said the addition will give park goers something to do during the colder months.

“This space will provide important year-round programming opportunities for the local community and all park users,” park president Regina Myer said.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy says it will run an educational program out of the new digs. The building is also set to feature offices for park administrators and two public bathrooms.

The building is supposed to have an entire wall of glass facing the greensward, while the design calls for keeping the others, made of the original brick, intact. The classroom is set to include a large aquarium and a water tank for hands-on aquatic demonstrations.

The design firm Architecture Research Office drew up the plans for the project, and Stalco Construction is building it. Park honchos say they hope to open the doors by next summer.

Reach reporter Matthew Perlman at (718) 260–8310. E-mail him at mperlman@cnglocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @matthewjperlman.

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